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2017 L.A. Local Membership Meeting

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2017 L.A. Local Membership Meeting

May 18, 2017, 3:05pm

Honors and Tributes Committee Chair Jenny O’Hara and Committee Vice Chair Mimi Cozzens present the family of the late John Harlan with an award for his 40-plus years of service as “the prince of announcers” at the annual Los Angeles membership meeting at Pickwick Gardens in Burbank on March 12.

Members came to learn, explore and have their voices heard at this year’s annual Los Angeles Local membership meeting on March 12. The meeting drew more than 400 attendees to the event’s new location, Pickwick Gardens in Burbank. SAG-AFTRA Secretary-Treasurer and Los Angeles Local President Jane Austin, along with SAG-AFTRA Los Angeles Local Executive Director Ilyanne Morden Kichaven, National Executive Director David White, and Chief Operating Officer and General Council Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, listened to and acknowledged the majority of the members’ submitted questions and concerns. Contractual time restraints forced the meeting to adjourn before the following questions could be answered:

Q. Why haven’t you settled the interactive contract strike?

A. Management continues to refuse to bargain on the terms our members require to resolve this negotiation. The terms our members seek — secondary payments, transparency in the hiring process, stunt coordinators on set and vocal stress protections — are all industry-standard terms that our members enjoy under virtually every other contract. The good news is that we are only striking against nine active video game companies and have signed more than two dozen video game companies to independent agreements that provide these protections. When auditioning for video games, members should confirm that the producing entity has signed onto the Interactive Agreement.

Q. How can SAG-AFTRA help me get work?

A. Once logged into the members-only section of the website or logged onto the SAG-AFTRA member app, SAG-AFTRA members can view the latest show sheets of productions currently casting. In addition, The Actors Fund’s Career Center provides career counseling, employment training and job development to help you find sideline work.

SAG-AFTRA President Gabrielle Carteris and SAG-AFTRA Secretary-Treasurer and Los Angeles Local President Jane Austin present a National Board resolution commending the SAG-AFTRA Federal Credit Union for its many years of exceptional service to our members at the annual Los Angeles Local membership meeting at Pickwick Gardens in Burbank on March 12.

Q. What is SAG-AFTRA’s stance on casting workshops?

A. There are certainly many legitimate companies that offer a chance to meet and read for casting agents and directors in a classroom setting, but be cautious if any fee is charged for these sessions and please check to make sure that your participation is not in violation of SAG-AFTRA Membership Rule 11 (see link to membership rules below) or California labor laws. All workshops must be educational in nature and cannot be a circumstance whereby a fee is charged for an audition.

Furthermore, the SAG-AFTRA Foundation Casting Access Program provides free audition preparation classes with prominent casting professionals in Los Angeles. CAP also provides an online class experience for performers living outside of the Los Angeles and New York areas. Contact sagaftra.foundation for more information.

Q. How can I publicize auditions for a charity production benefitting the Burbank Unified School District arts programs?

A. All members have the opportunity to post notices ranging from auditions to classes to housing to services on the first-floor Ken Howard Membership Center bulletin board at SAG-AFTRA Plaza, 5757 Wilshire Boulevard. Please be aware that all notices must follow posted guidelines and are subject to approval.